The nexus of postmodernism and distance education: Creating empowerment with educational technology and critical paradigms

This dissertation deals with the unification of distance learning foundations and critical thought paradigms, especially postmodernism, through the creation of an educational model and an actual web-based course syllabus. The research is based upon careful examination of not just the two major themes, postmodernism, and distance education, but also several essential, interrelated substantive areas such as learner motivation and satellite technology. An initial important objective will be to acquaint the philosophy. Secondly, the distinguishing foundational elements of distance education will be examined.; Next, considering the emerging force of postmodernism as a philosophy and a way of life, I will discuss what salient aspects of this philosophy must be taken into account in shaping the design of a distance learning system. Attention turns to a practical, contemporary debate between two prominent scholars. One argues for the constructive empowerment that postmodern thought and education have to offer. The counterpoint cautions that postmodernism unchecked by any standard can lead to anarchy postmodern expression can create empowerment, especially when combined with the employment of distance learning.; The theme then shifts one hundred eighty degrees with numerous illustrations of the potential damaging cultural effects, especially alienation, of postmodernism as it spins out of control. At this point the reader will be armed with an understanding of what postmodernism and distance learning are usually understood to mean, including examples in the past and present of positive and negative cultural effects.; The focus evolves into an analysis of recent, present day educational technology, critical theory, and potential for future empowerment of learners. Also included is a theoretical discussion of constructivism.; Empowerment is considered more specifically in didactic terms in chapter seven. The interrelationships of postmodernism, constructivism, and instructional design are explored. The dissertation concludes with a detailed original model that demonstrates how these interrelationships can be effectively incorporated into a dynamic, empowering distance learning format.; The appendices deal with important related subjects: a general review of prominent learner motivational theories with possible ramifications for distance learning, a description of the hardware utilized in a state of the art distance learning satellite.